Biopharmaceutical studies on insulin rectal dosage form . The effect of the surfactant NO-10 on rectal absorption of insulin suppositories in rabbits.

The blood sugar level decrese produced by rectal administration of insulin sup-positories was studied in rabbits.Insulin suppositories were prepared with cocoa butterand 1% surfactant NO-10.The different doses of insulin investigated were 75,50,30,10,5 and 3IU/kg.The dose of 75IU/kg and 50IU/kg severely reduced the rabbits blood sugar, thus probably causing the animals convulsion and even death. The blood sugar level once reduced by the doses of 30 and 10 IU/kg could no longer increase in 6.0 hr at 2 hr and 6 hr after administration of insulin suppositories(5 IU/kg), the blood sugar level was reduced by 79% and 33% respectively.The blood sugar level decreased at 1.5 and 6.0 hr after administration of 3IU/kg were 65% and 24% respectively. The data thus obtained were significantly different (P<0.001) from those of control group.